iPhone update expected to coincide with OS 3.0 this summer

A source at AT&T has reportedly leaked some information about a iPhone, …

Now that we've seen the iPhone OS 3.0 firmware, people are paying more attention to the other big piece of the puzzle: a new iPhone for the new OS ship on. We're already hearing quite a bit about a possible new model (or models), and now, Boy Genius Report has stirred things up a bit more with several juicy tidbits from an alleged AT&T source that hint at a June announcement, among other things.

The details of the hardware coming down the pipe are unclear, but additional sources have confirmed to Ars Technica that an iPhone hardware update is indeed planned to coincide with the iPhone OS 3.0 launch. Faster HSDPA is looking rather likely at this point. Other than that, though, Boy Genius Report's information is quite vague. The AT&T source suggests that the next iPhone will include some features that can be found on current smartphones so that the device won't have to compete on features, and the carrier is also working on a "unified product" and "seamless experience." Let us guess: the AT&T source is a PR person.

As far as the launch goes, we'll apparently be seeing an iPhone launch in mid-June (as expected). AT&T is apparently promising an "exciting" summer, and says that the launch of an iPhone is "becoming a tradition." Last but not least, the Boy Genius Report source says that the iPhone OS 3.0 should give us some clues as to "where the platform is going," and, with all of the new features that are coming, I think it's safe to say that it'll be going into quite a few pockets.

I wonder if any of the hardware changes in the new iPhone will enable as-yet-undisclosed software features in 3.0 that will ONLY work on that model. 3.0 adds so much to the current (and first-gen!) iPhones for free that people who already own one would have little reason to buy a new model otherwise.

And, if you think about it...if a new iPhone does come out in June, that's exactly when the contracts for everyone who bought an original model on launch day will expire. What better time to get people to upgrade?

Originally posted by daGUY:I wonder if any of the hardware changes in the new iPhone will enable as-yet-undisclosed software features in 3.0 that will ONLY work on that model. 3.0 adds so much to the current (and first-gen!) iPhones for free that people who already own one would have little reason to buy a new model otherwise.

And, if you think about it...if a new iPhone does come out in June, that's exactly when the contracts for everyone who bought an original model on launch day will expire. What better time to get people to upgrade?

Exactly.

On a similar note: I wonder what percentage keep the original version or adopt the new iPhone or switch to something else (Pre maybe)? I bet that this will be closely followed.

And, if you think about it...if a new iPhone does come out in June, that's exactly when the contracts for everyone who bought an original model on launch day will expire. What better time to get people to upgrade?

That's exactly what went through my mind as I read this article. I bought an original iPhone in October after the initial launch, and with the way prices have gone down I should be able to get the new one for really cheap!

There are plenty of things that haven't really been talked about since the 3.0 announcement. The ESPN guy mentioned more than once the "new media player", and in the new features slide there were references to "media scrubbing" which is what you have in iMovie and iPhoto etc. I think there's a fairly large chance on hefty new video features that will quite possibly be tied to new hardware, which is why they were the elephant in the room during the event last week.

Other than the Camera, I can't think of any other hardware changed that they can make which would prevent any other new features from running on existing devices though. Better battery maybe, OLED screen, better speaker, faster internets - all good and possible, but they won't affect current software.

There are plenty of things that haven't really been talked about since the 3.0 announcement. The ESPN guy mentioned more than once the "new media player", and in the new features slide there were references to "media scrubbing" which is what you have in iMovie and iPhoto etc. I think there's a fairly large chance on hefty new video features that will quite possibly be tied to new hardware, which is why they were the elephant in the room during the event last week.

Other than the Camera, I can't think of any other hardware changed that they can make which would prevent any other new features from running on existing devices though. Better battery maybe, OLED screen, better speaker, faster internets - all good and possible, but they won't affect current software.

Wider support for the landscape thumb-board suggests a fairly substantial under-the-hood update for text-entry. Combined with the bluetooth updates... I could see keyboard support showing up. Besides - they'd need it for the tablet anyway, right?

Originally posted by Stuffe:There are plenty of things that haven't really been talked about since the 3.0 announcement. The ESPN guy mentioned more than once the "new media player", and in the new features slide there were references to "media scrubbing" which is what you have in iMovie and iPhoto etc. I think there's a fairly large chance on hefty new video features that will quite possibly be tied to new hardware, which is why they were the elephant in the room during the event last week.

Other than the Camera, I can't think of any other hardware changed that they can make which would prevent any other new features from running on existing devices though. Better battery maybe, OLED screen, better speaker, faster internets - all good and possible, but they won't affect current software.

Like the possibility of a video camera for video chat?

A couple other features that might be interesting; two wifi antennas for P2P stuff simultaneously with online stuff, which could be switched around for better reception/bandwidth as needed. A DS style flip phone would make awesome use of the landscape keyboard, don't you think?

Originally posted by OrangeCream:Like the possibility of a video camera for video chat?

Isn't there some regulation against forward facing cell phone cameras in the US, though? What /is/ the reason there aren't any US cellphones with forward facing cameras?

Personally I just want to see the damn thing on multiple networks in the US. I'd like to see some real competition on data charges... or at least no competition followed by lawsuits and convictions for price fixing

Originally posted by OrangeCream:Like the possibility of a video camera for video chat?

Isn't there some regulation against forward facing cell phone cameras in the US, though? What /is/ the reason there aren't any US cellphones with forward facing cameras?

Personally I just want to see the damn thing on multiple networks in the US. I'd like to see some real competition on data charges... or at least no competition followed by lawsuits and convictions for price fixing

Given the 3G "outages" we saw last year with the iPhone and BlackBerry releases, I suspect we aren't being cheated with regards to wireless data... At least those of us that use it.

Real competition will probably mean tiered bandwidth plans and multiyear contracts:$40 for 7Mbps, $30 for 3Mbps, $20 for 1MBps, and $10 for EDGE (which is normal price discrimination). Then I also imagine $5 off your data plan if you get a 3 year contract.

Originally posted by OrangeCream:Like the possibility of a video camera for video chat?

Isn't there some regulation against forward facing cell phone cameras in the US, though? What /is/ the reason there aren't any US cellphones with forward facing cameras?

Personally I just want to see the damn thing on multiple networks in the US. I'd like to see some real competition on data charges... or at least no competition followed by lawsuits and convictions for price fixing

Given the 3G "outages" we saw last year with the iPhone and BlackBerry releases, I suspect we aren't being cheated with regards to wireless data... At least those of us that use it.

Real competition will probably mean tiered bandwidth plans and multiyear contracts:$40 for 7Mbps, $30 for 3Mbps, $20 for 1MBps, and $10 for EDGE (which is normal price discrimination). Then I also imagine $5 off your data plan if you get a 3 year contract.

And that has nothing to do with competition.

I was comparing to tmo's 3g network. The lowest mins/unl text and data from T-mo is ~$740 cheaper (per contract) than AT&T - comparing 3g to 3g. That doesn't seem reasonable to me ::shrug::I don't follow how outages translates to not being cheated. It seems the profits these networks are making should be put towards stronger back bone to reduce blackouts instead of going into the wallets of fat cat execs, but to each his own.

Originally posted by OrangeCream:Like the possibility of a video camera for video chat?

Isn't there some regulation against forward facing cell phone cameras in the US, though? What /is/ the reason there aren't any US cellphones with forward facing cameras?

Personally I just want to see the damn thing on multiple networks in the US. I'd like to see some real competition on data charges... or at least no competition followed by lawsuits and convictions for price fixing

Given the 3G "outages" we saw last year with the iPhone and BlackBerry releases, I suspect we aren't being cheated with regards to wireless data... At least those of us that use it.

Real competition will probably mean tiered bandwidth plans and multiyear contracts:$40 for 7Mbps, $30 for 3Mbps, $20 for 1MBps, and $10 for EDGE (which is normal price discrimination). Then I also imagine $5 off your data plan if you get a 3 year contract.

And that has nothing to do with competition.

I was comparing to tmo's 3g network. The lowest mins/unl text and data from T-mo is ~$740 cheaper (per contract) than AT&T - comparing 3g to 3g. That doesn't seem reasonable to me ::shrug::I don't follow how outages translates to not being cheated.

If we were being charged too much, we wouldn't be using the service; what happened is that too many people used the service, suggesting two things:We aren't being charged ENOUGHThe provider was unprepared

I think everyone accepts that the provider was unprepared.

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It seems the profits these networks are making should be put towards stronger back bone to reduce blackouts instead of going into the wallets of fat cat execs, but to each his own.

I think that is the plan, now; at the time the service was sufficient until the iPhone appeared.

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Originally posted by masaccio:Originally posted by OrangeCream:

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Like the possibility of a video camera for video chat?

Wow, people do that? I mean more than the once to see that it's possible? I thought the forward-facing cameras on phones were just bling to keep the chavs happy.

It's like browsing the web. Before the iPhone people did it once just to see it was possible, then didn't use it because it was such a pain to use.

I know I would love to see my kids (and vice versa) daily on my iPhone.